


Roman Candles

by oncetherelivedaboy



Category: In the Heights - Miranda
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2016-05-13
Packaged: 2018-06-08 03:19:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6836941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oncetherelivedaboy/pseuds/oncetherelivedaboy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Basically my interpretation of the events that happen during the song Blackout. Told from Grafitti Pete's point of view. Characters are aged up, or aged down, I don't really know which it would be. Sonny is 15 and Pete is 16</p>
            </blockquote>





	Roman Candles

**Author's Note:**

> GOD I AM SUCH TRASH! I fucking love in the heights and honestly Sonny is probs my fave, but somehow I have fallen into the hell that is Sonny/Pete. However, I don't their exact ages, and in this specific fic, Sonny is 15 and Pete is 16 because even making Pete 17 feels weird, like I wouldn't date a 15 year old, it would just feel wrong, because at that stage in life even a year is a lot of difference in maturity level. Alright, that's all, enjoy the Fic!!

He was painting, a dumpster behind an apartment complex, not his best work and he was fine with admitting that, he’d done better, but this one had been born out of boredom rather than actual inspiration. So, perhaps a skateboarding teddy bear wasn’t the most thought provoking of his works. He had just stepped back to take a look at the full view of it, contemplating adding a bow on the ear, for no real reason but for the use of the pink paint he’d bought a few weeks before and had been looking forward to using since then, that’s when the lights went out. The dull hum of the televisions that had been playing through the open windows of the building, the street lights didn’t even flicker, it was just gone, complete darkness washing over the city. There was a moment of complete silence, the calm before the storm, the electrical hum that could usually be heard completely gone, he could swear the sound of his heartbeat could be heard through the hold neighborhood, and the chaos erupted. There were screams, the sounds of pounding footsteps as they searched for candles, flashlights, matches, anything to keep the darkness at bay, and weapons to keep those whose morals shifted at times like this at bay, to protect their families, their things, themselves. 

Panic flooded him, not for his own safety, rather for Sonny’s. He knew Sonny wouldn’t leave the store, not when Usnavi was gone, So he didn’t even bother picking up the paints he’d set on the ground just took off at a sprint, his pack thudding heavily against his back, he had to get to the store, had to make sure Sonny was alright. He couldn’t see anything, and grabbed for the flashlight he had in his bag for late night painting, he breathed a sigh of relief when it flicked on, grateful that the batteries weren’t dead.

It didn’t take him long to get to the store. His light fell on Sonny, tugging at the grate, but it seemed to be stuck. 

“Sonny!” He shouted and Sonny turned to look at him, the tears glistening on his cheeks. The frustration with the situation he’d been left painted blatantly on his face.“We have to get out of here.” He said, grabbing for Sonny’s arm but he jerked it away. 

“I can’t leave the store, they’re going to break in, Usnavi’s gonna be pissed if something happens, I can’t let them get in.” 

“Sonny, you’re gonna get killed out here.” He tried again to pull him away, flicking off the flashlight to avoid any more unwanted attention. “Come on.” Sonny pulled away again. 

“I’ve got a bat in the back, I’ll be fine.” Pete sighed, as the sound of Sonny’s hurried footsteps faded into the store and returned moments later. People were approaching the store, flames licked at rags and the smell of gasoline filled the neighborhood. He’d never understand why people resorted to violence in times like this, why they wanted to torch buildings with molotov cocktails and flip cars, attack people and loot stores. He held out an arm, catching it against Sonny’s chest, trying to keep him back, place himself between Sonny and the danger.

“Get me some matches.” He hissed, rolling the backpacks straps from his shoulders and grabbing the fireworks he’d bought in preparation of the Fourth of July, he and Sonny had planned to shoot them off the roof later in the night. A lighter was pressed into his palm and he shoved all but one of the Roman candles into the oversized pocket of his pants. The wick caught easily, the first one he raised above his head, the burst of light blinding him momentarily, his other arm still holding Sonny back, as the flare soared high and exploded into light above their heads. The vandals were illuminated around them in the light and they weren’t moving away. In fact they kept advancing. 

“Get back!” He yelled, pointing the roman candle at one of the masked characters, light exploded from the end again and the flare whizzed past them, they fell back in shock, and they started to retreat. He swung his arm so that it was pointed at a different one of them. “Get back! Don’t make me say it again!” Another flash of light and another fell, this time one of them had been hit in the arm. “Get the fuck back!” Sonny tried to move forward again but Pete just pushed him back farther, he knew people who ran with crews like this, a lot of them carried guns, he didn’t these people  were though, otherwise they’d have been drawing them but he could see the knives glinting in their grip. He reached for a second roman candle lighting it from the one he already had. The people began to back away, and Pete had his back against Sonny, moving so that he couldn’t get past, all that mattered right now was keeping him safe, not that he might get butthurt about not being able to whack one of them with the bat, right now he needed to keep him back as much as he did the others. Another flash of light followed directly by another, each of them hitting, one square in the chest and another in the arm. 

He raised them back into the sky and this time when they lit the street the people were retreating, and he let the fireworks continue firing as he set them on the ground, shooting towards the star-filled sky, smoke rolling off of them. Sonny was shaking as he manhandled him towards the counter. 

“Get down.” He said, hands on the slightly younger boys shoulders so that he was sitting. He grabbed a granola bar and 2 sodas from the fridge, tucking a five under the register. He passed a soda and the bar to Sonny. “Eat, you look like you’re about to shake yourself to pieces.” When he didn’t move Pete grabbed the bar again and opened the packaging, forcing it back into his hands. From where he standing he could see if anyone was approaching, and he kept a close eye there as he took a drink from his own soda, relishing in the overly fake strawberry flavoring. “I’m going to see if I can get the grate down.” He said and Sonny shook his head. 

“It’s busted.”

“I can lock the door at least.” So he quickly cross the store and did that. He kept the flashlight stashed, the dark would likely keep them more safe than a light that would draw the attention of unwanted visitors. Sonny was still shaking when he got back and he dropped down next to him, draping an arm over his shoulder, and pulling his close. “It’s alright, we’re going to ride this out, ok?” Sonny nodded and kissed his temple, feeling the racing pulse beneath the skin. “I’ve got you, everything’s gonna be fine so long as we don’t draw anymore attention.” 

“And what happens if that’s enough?”

“Then I’ve got four more roman candles and a lighter.” 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sure someone else has done a fic similar to this, but Blackout is like my fave song. Don't expect a whole lot of fics out of this fandom from me, I just kind of had this stuck in my head and I needed to get it written, as always comments are highly appreciated and encouraged, and if you have any requests or just want to chat about the perfectionthat is LMM or really anything my tumblr is oncetherelivedaboy.tumblr.com
> 
> ALSO (and I feel this goes without saying but just to make sure) DO NOT POINT FIREWORKS AT PEOPLE!! IT IS DANGEROUS AND THEY COULD GET SERIOUSLY INJURED! DO NOT DO IT!!


End file.
